Generally, a web site is an arrangement of content, e.g., text, images, and sound, on a set of web pages configured for presentation over a computer network in a predetermined way. The content appearing on a web page is generally stored in a centralized location, such as, e.g., a database or a set of files, that is local to a web server. Requests for web pages, which are typically transmitted by web browsers via the HTTP protocol, are processed by the web server. Centralizing the storage of the content found on web pages facilitates its transmission by the web server because the web content is in a known location that is readily available.
Web sites have become more complex as their application has spread. Web sites have proven to be a valuable means of communication both with the public (e.g., a corporate web site) and in private use (i.e., an Intranet site). In either case, it is advantageous to display content with as much breadth and depth as possible to maximize the utility of the web site to its users. However, as web content becomes more complex and diverse, the amount of time, money, and effort in obtaining, storing, and updating the web content has increased.
More recently, portal web sites have been used to deliver complex and diverse content over a computer network. A portal web site is a web site containing one or more portlets displayed on a web page. A portlet is a configurable content area displayable on a web page that provides content or performs one or more associated functions or both. Portlets may display content that is obtained from a source remotely to the web server. For example, a portal web site may use an arrangement of portlets to display web content on different subject areas. The web content for each of the subject areas need not be stored centrally to the web server, but rather may be stored in a plurality of locations geographically removed, but accessible to the portal web server. A portlet may be configured such that it may display the information it obtains to the web browser in a customized manner.
An existing problem with this approach is that developing portal web sites still requires a significant investment of time, money, and effort. This is due, in part, to the cost of supporting the hardware and software necessary to support a portal web site and the computer specialists required to manage the portal web site. Further, constructing a portal web site from scratch is a time and labor intensive process. These associated costs often prohibit those without significant resources from building or using a portal web site. Additionally, while collaborative functionality such as discussion forums and notice boards are desirable, current solutions often require client software to be installed and configured on personal computers associated with each user, adding to the cost and complexity in maintenance. Unfortunately, there is no current solution in the art to create and deploy portal web sites without incurring these costs.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved method for providing access to a discussion forum over a computer network. In an embodiment, the first step is to configure a web provider to support a discussion forum portlet. Thereafter, a request is received for a web page from a user. The web page may comprise the discussion forum portlet, and the discussion forum portlet may host at least one of the one or more discussion forums. Subsequently, content is obtained for the discussion forum portlet from the web provider. Next, the requested web page is assembled at a application server, wherein the application server retrieves information about the structure, appearance, and operation of the web page from a database and thereafter composes the web page with the information and the content from the web provider. Finally, the web page is transmitted to the user. Further details of aspects, objects, and advantages of the invention are described below in the detailed description, drawings, and claims.